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Reproduction and Food Habits of the Lined Seahorse, Hippocampus Erectus (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia

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Reproduction and Food Habits of the Lined Seahorse, Hippocampus Erectus (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia W&M ScholarWorks VIMS Articles Virginia Institute of Marine Science 2-28-2001 Reproduction and food habits of the lined seahorse, Hippocampus erectus (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. R. L. Teixeira John A. Musick Virginia Institute of Marine Science Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles Part of the Marine Biology Commons Recommended Citation Teixeira, R. L. and Musick, John A., Reproduction and food habits of the lined seahorse, Hippocampus erectus (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) of Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. (2001). Brazilian Journa of Biology, 61(1), 79-90. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/2066 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in VIMS Articles by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BIOLOGY OF THE LINED SEAHORSE 79 REPRODUCTION AND FOOD HABITS OF THE LINED SEAHORSE, Hippocampus erectus (TELEOSTEI: SYNGNATHIDAE) OF CHESAPEAKE BAY, VIRGINIA TEIXEIRA, R. L.1 and MUSICK, J. A.2 1Museu de Biologia Prof. Mello Leitão, Av. José Ruschi, 4, CEP 29650-000, Santa Teresa, ES, Brazil 2Department of Fishery Science, School of Marine Science, The College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA Correspondence to: Rogério L. Teixeira, Rua Bernardino Monteiro, 75, Centro, CEP 29650-000, Santa Tereza, ES, Brazil, e-mail: [email protected] Received August 26, 1999 – Accepted April 5, 2000 – Distributed February 28, 2001 (With 7 figures) ABSTRACT The reproductive and feeding biology of the lined seahorse, Hippocampus erectus, was studied in Chesapeake Bay. Seahorses are monogamous, and males incubate the eggs received from females in a closed brood pouch (= marsupium). Females do not play any parental care after mating. Total sex ratio and the operational sex ratio was strongly skewed toward females. Males and females had similar number of eggs/embryos and hydrated oocytes, respectively. The number of eggs/embryos found in the male brood pouch varied from 97 to 1,552 (fish from 80 to 126 mm TL), whereas the number of hydrated oocytes in female varied from 90 to 1,313 (fish from 60 to 123 mm TL). Both, the number of eggs/embryos and hydrated oocytes were better linearly correlated to total weight than to total length. The small snout and mouth size limits the feeding of the lined seahorse to small prey size. Amphypods were the predominant food items found in the guts, especially Ampithoe longimana, Gammarus mucronatus, and Caprella penantis. The lined seahorse is not abundant in Chesapeake Bay, but keeps a breeding population which is probably brought inside the bay by currents on drifting vegetation. Chances to find a partner may be difficult because of its low abundance, due to turbid waters, and its sedentary behavior. Key words: parental care, fecundity, fertility, amphipods, estuary. RESUMO Reprodução e hábito alimentar do cavalo-marinho Hippocampus erectus (Teleostei: Syngnathidae) de Chesapeake Bay, Virgínia A biologia reprodutiva e alimentar do cavalo-marinho Hippocampus erectus foi estudada no estuário de Chesapeake Bay, Virgínia. Cavalos-marinhos são monógamos, sendo que o macho incuba os ovos recebidos da fêmea em uma bolsa incubadora fechada (= marsúpio). As fêmeas não desempenham qualquer cuidado com a prole após a fecundação. A razão sexual total e operacional foi fortemente direcionada para as fêmeas. Machos e fêmeas tiveram similares números de ovos/embriões e ovócitos hidratados, respectivamente. O número de ovos/embriões na bolsa incubadora dos machos variou de 97 a 1.552 (exemplares de 80 a 126 mm CT), enquanto o número de ovócitos hidratados nas fêmeas variou de 90 a 1.313 (exemplares de 60 a 123 mm CT). Tanto para os machos quanto para as fêmeas o número de ovos/embriões e ovócitos hidratados foi mais correlacionado com o peso do que com o comprimento total. O comprimento do focinho e a amplitude bucal limitam o cavalo-marinho a explorar pequenas presas. Anfípodas predominaram na dieta, especialmente Ampithoe longimana, Gammarus mucronatus e Caprella penantis. O cavalo-marinho não é uma espécie abundante em Che- Rev. Brasil. Biol., 61(1): 79-90 80 TEIXEIRA, R. L. and MUSICK, J. A. sapeake Bay, mas mantém uma população reprodutiva. As chances para encontrar um parceiro são pequenas, devido à baixa abundância, às águas túrbidas e ao comportamento sedentário da espécie. Palavras-chave: cuidado paternal, fecundidade, fertilidade, anfípodas, estuário. INTRODUCTION small crustaceans. Böhlke (1982) cited that the usual number of eggs in the brood pouch varies The lined seahorse, Hippocampus erectus from 250-400, and copepods, amphipods, and other Perry 1810, occurs from Nova Scotia to Uruguay, small crustaceans represented the principal prey being most common in deeper water where vege- for this seahorse. James & Heck (1994) observed tation is abundant, and can tolerate a marked range that variation in seagrass structural complexity in salinity and temperature (Böhlke, 1982). Male appears to have little effect on the foraging of the seahorses have sex role reversal. Fertilization and “sit and wait” visual predator lined seahorse, incubation of oocytes received from female takes whereas variation in light level produces significant place in a sac-like brood pouch (= marsupium) shifts in capture rates. located under the tail. After oocytes transference, This study attempts to assess the abundance, females do not play any role in parental care. Male and reproduction and food habits of the lined brood pouches in seahorses are the most advanced seahorse in Chesapeake Bay, with particular focus among all syngnathid species, opening only through on the lower York River estuary. an anteromesial pore. Vincent et al. (1992) contested the fact that MATERIAL AND METHODS the seahorse, Hippocampus fuscus, is sex role reversed. These authors pointed out that the males The lined seahorse was collected with several of this seahorse are the predominant competitor fishing gears and in many different localities in for access to mates: males exhibit higher levels the lower Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. Most of them of behavior patterns, and males have the two most were collected in the lower York River, at stations, overtly aggressive behaviors in courtship, such as which support extensive beds of submerged aquatic tail wrestling and snapping with the snout. The vegetation (Fig. 1). The dominant eelgrass is point of view presented by Vincent et al. (1992), Zostera marina, which undergoes seasonal and that sex role reversal is not synonymous of parental annual fluctuations in distribution and abundance, care in syngnathids, creates confusion about unders- showing higher biomass during the spring and tanding sex role reversal. We will follow the tra- summer, and almost disappearing during the winter ditional and simplest idea that male syngnathids (Orth & Moore, 1984). have a brood pouch, which protect, osmoregulate For the biological analysis, samples were and aerate the eggs in compartments located in a taken from May through September 1992 primarily “placenta” (Linton & Soloff, 1964), which should with a 3 mm mesh dip net during low slack water be a female prerogative. Consistent to this idea, between Sarah’s’ Creek and the Coleman bridge Masonjones & Lewis (1966) observed that the (Station A), at approximately 37o24’N, 75o58’W dwarf seahorses, Hippocampus zosterae, are not (Fig. 1). Samples were taken at depth shallower courtship-role reversed, as previously assumed. than 1 m. Periodicity of dip net samples varied from There is little information on the biology of month to month. Additional samples were taken the lined seahorse. Fish (1952) reported underwater with: 1) A 10 m semi-balloon otter trawl. Each sound production for this seahorse. Linton & Soloff tow had a duration of five minutes at a speed of (1964) developed a physiological study of the male approximately 2.5 knots. The trawl survey program brood pouch. They found that the pouch provides consists on a monthly (excepting February) random optimum ionic and osmotic conditions for eggs/ stratified design survey of the lower Chesapeake embryos development. Hildebrand & Schroeder Bay, and fixed station mid-channel transects in each (1928) cited that H. hudsonius (= H. erectus) is of the three major Virginia tributaries: the York, not very common in Chesapeake Bay, it can reach James, and Rappahannock rivers (Bonzek et al., 150 mm, and its food habits appears to consist of 1993). Rev. Brasil. Biol., 61(1): 79-90 BIOLOGY OF THE LINED SEAHORSE 81 77º00' 76º00' Rappahannock 38º00' Richmond York Atlantic Ocean A James B 37º00' 010203040 Nautical miles Norfolk Fig. 1 — Map of the study area in Chesapeake Bay from May 1992 through August 1994 by the trawl survey program (o), and in the lower York River with dip net (Station A) and crab scrape (Station B). Trawl survey samples were taken from May pendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tail (Böhlke, 1992 through August 1994, and for the biological 1982); total body and gonad weights (0.001 g) were analysis, only the fish saved by the trawl survey also recorded. Ovary weight (0.001 g) was recorded staff were used; 2) A crab scrape apparatus, 0.5 to calculate the gonadosomatic index (GSI = ovary × 1.5 m with 5 mm mesh size, was used from June weight/total weight × 100). through August 1993 (Station B), and was spo- The number of eggs or embryos in the male’s radically used in other months. brood pouch and the number of pre hydrated oocy- Trawl survey data from January 1988 through tes in the ovaries were counted for fecundity and December 1993 was used to observe abundance, fertility comparisons between males and females. and the relationship to salinity and temperature. The following scale was used to separate different Between years, abundance was compared by one- eggs/embryos stages: 0 – non pregnant males; 1 – way analyses of variance (ANOVA).
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